THE University of Essex has been placed in the country's top 25 of the Complete University Guide for 2022.

The Colchester-based university has climbed 16 places and is now ranked in 25th position - making it the biggest move in the UK top 50.

The Complete University Guide is compiled on an annual basis and ranks 130 universities across the UK to guide prospective students in their higher education decision making.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Lorna Fox O’Mahony said: “At Essex, we are dedicated to delivering a transformational education, informed by our research strengths.

"Our staff support students from every background to achieve outstanding outcomes, preparing them to thrive in their future lives.

"We’re pleased to see our commitment to supporting students, and to excellence in research, reflected in our improved performance in the Complete University Guide.”

The Complete University Guide team is editorially independent and has compiled university rankings for more than 25 years.

The main league table is based on ten measures: student satisfaction, research quality, research intensity, graduate prospects - outcomes, graduate prospects - on track, student-staff ratio, spending on academic services, spending on student facilities, completion rates and entry standards.

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The new ‘graduate prospects - on track’ measure looks at whether recent graduates agree their current activity fits with their future plans.

Simon Emmett, chief executive of IDP Connect, owners of the guide, said: “The 2022 Complete University Guide league tables will serve as a valuable guide to even more actively researching students this year. "My hope is that these rankings will help them make the right decisions as they consider their higher education options.”